Use of a cable network to deliver programming content, e.g., TV programs, is ubiquitous. The cable network terminates on set-top boxes at the user premises. It is well known that the cable network also provides program guide data to the set-top boxes. The program guide data typically contains broadcast time and program channel information concerning the programs to be broadcast. The program guide data may be used to populate an interactive program guide (IPG) facilitating a user's access to desired programs on different program channels. After receiving the program guide data from the cable network, the set-top box stores it in a memory, which is updated from time to time.
Nowadays, the number of program channels providing programming content over a cable network is ever increasing. Cable users may feel overwhelmed by the vast number of channels offered. To alleviate this, a user may be allowed to program a set-top box on his/her own to assemble a set of channels as his/her favorite channels. Such a set may be accessed, e.g., by pressing a “Favorites (FAV)” key on a remote control, from which the user may select a channel by its identifier (e.g., its channel number) to watch.
Use of digital video recorders (DVRs), such as TiVo and ReplayTV devices, is also ubiquitous, which provide conveniences to TV viewers. For example, a prior art DVR allows a user to record his/her favorite TV programs for later review, and exercise a season-pass-like option to record every episode of his/her favorite program for a period. It may also predict what programs from different channels that the user may like by tracking the genre, actors, etc. of the programs previously selected by the user, and automatically record, and recommend to the user, the predicted programs for viewing.